Why Good Friday is really all bad and other Easter misunderstandings

THERE’S nothing good about it so why isn’t it called Bad Friday? And why do we have to eat fish? We’ve explained it all here.

YAY it’s almost Good Friday, which is clearly good because most of us will be off.

But, let’s be honest, why it’s good and why it’s a holiday at all is a mystery to many of us. It has something to do with the death, or the rising again, of Jesus wasn’t it? But what does it have to do with eating seafood? And why is Woolies closed?

At news.com.au we’re here to clear up your Easter confusions and answer the questions you were too concerned to ask lest you show yourself up as someone who doesn’t go to church. Like religiously.

So, to begin …

WHAT IS GOOD FRIDAY, ANYWAY?

Good Friday is the day that the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate, who governed the province of Judea that roughly corresponds to present day Israel and Palestine,  presided over the blasphemy trial of Jesus.

Unable to bring himself to pass down a sentence of death, Pilate washed his hands — which is where the famous saying comes from — and let the crowd decide Jesus' fate. When it appeared they wished him to be crucified, Pilate acquiesced.

It was not a good day for a fair trial.

Crucified on Good Friday, Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday. 

The Good Friday Way of the Cross Walk in Hunter’s Hill on Sydney’s north shore recreates Jesus’ path to his execution.

SO, IF IT’S ALL BAD, WHY IS IT CALLED “GOOD” FRIDAY THEN?

In many countries it’s not. In German speaking nations, the day is generally known as Karfreitag, which translates as “Mournful Friday”. Which seems more appropriate, really.

However, we shouldn’t assume “good”, as used in Good Friday, means good at all, religion and history expert Professor Constant Mews tells news.com.au. “Good Friday is one of the most misunderstood phrases we have in the calendar.”

“Good” in this context, he said, really reflects an archaic meaning of the medieval word “goode” that translates as “holy”. So, it’s really Holy Friday.

“In fact the liturgy of Good Friday always emphasises sadness that a very decent person was crushed by a political system that did not understand what he had to say,” said Prof Mews.

Just to confuse things, the Wednesday before Easter is archaically known as "Good Wednesday". There's nothing good about that day either. 

Animals, such as this snow hare, photographed by 2015 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Rosamund Macfarlane, were common in pagan stories.

GEE, YOU’LL BE TELLING ME EASTER ISN’T IN THE BIBLE NEXT.

You may need to sit down. I hate to break this to you, but there is no mention of Easter in the vast majority of bible translations. In the one bible where the word Easter does occur, it's actually a translation of the word "Passover". In fact, it’s probably more accurate to call Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, but it just doesn’t have the same ring.

Bunnies, chicks and eggs are similarly also absent.

It’s widely thought the name Easter derives from the Angle-Saxon goddess Eostre. In the 8th century, festivals were held by pagans in the goddess’ honour.

As these disappeared they were replaced by the Christian tradition marking the death and rebirth of Jesus but they took on a number of the pagan traditions.

The whole bunny thing is even more obscure. It was a symbol often found in medieval churches. Animals were also choc-full in pagan myths and Eostre possibly had some hares as her animal companions.

Easter eggs were first decorated in the area which is now Iraq and were painted red as a symbol of Christ’s crucifixion. Both rabbits and eggs are fertility symbols which chimes well with the theme of rebirth.

Multiple churches from different denominations in Melbourne will hold a reflective walk at Queens Park on Good Friday to reflect on the true meaning of Easter.

BUT IT’S CLEARLY NOT AS BIG A DEAL AS CHRISTMAS

When it comes to holidays, Christmas wins hands down. Particularly in Australia where heading off to the coast on Christmas Eve and not returning until the hangovers have subsided after Australia Day is one’s patriotic duty.

But, Jesus-wise, Easter wins. “Certainly, Christmas has long been perceived as a more popular festival, certainly since the advent of gift giving in a big way since the 19th century,” said Prof Mews. “In religious terms, however, Christmas only evolved in the fourth century, while the celebration of Easter has always been important.”

“Only two out of four Gospels tell the Christmas story [so] theologically, Easter is central to the Christian tradition.”

While many see Easter Sunday as the culmination of Easter, the entire period from Good Friday to Sunday is equally significant.

Sally Lam, pictured with some of the seafood available at the Golden Seafood Market in Canley Heights.

BUT WE HAVE TO EAT FISH ON GOOD FRIDAY, RIGHT?

If you ask the sellers down at the heaving Sydney Fish Market that certainly seems the case. People start queuing at 5am on Good Friday with 55,000 fish mad customers expected to snap up more than 440 tonnes of seafood.

“It’s a massive, massive workload,” Musumeci Seafood’s part-owner Con Doukas told the Inner West Courier. “To give you an idea, you probably go through an equivalent of a week of sales just in that one day.”

However, while the tradition certainly has religious roots its popularity has been boosted by some business savvy. Every Friday, not just the Good variety, is considered one where Christians tried to avoid extravagance and embrace sacrifice, said Prof Mews. With meat, for many centuries, being a luxury it was an easy extravagance to forego.

“Eating fish on a Friday was an indirect reminder of Christ’s offering himself as a sacrifice on the cross. It made the feast on Easter Sunday morning all the more important.

“Not eating meat on Good Friday was standard Catholic tradition in the middle ages, but it continued under Queen Elizabeth and in Anglican tradition, in part because of the continued influence of the fish industry.”

Young Henry's brewery in Sydney’s Newtown is open on Good Friday.

OK, BUT WHY CAN’T WE GO SHOPPING?

One day without retail and the whole of Australia loses its collective mind. Have you seen the queues at Coles on Maundy Thursday evening? But for some people, even this brief break isn't enough. 

Catholic international aid organisation Caritas, which is in the midst of Project Compassion appeal, released research just before Easter 2018 that found 83 per cent of Australians believed Easter is becoming too commercialised and 70 per cent said it was annoying to see Easter eggs and hot cross buns on sale in January.

Caritas spokesperson, Negaya Chorley said: “Traditionally, the lead up to Easter, Lent, was a time to give up treats. We’ve been encouraging Australians to give up things like coffee, Netflix, or even smashed-avocado brunches so that they can donate what they save to those less fortunate."

So giving up shopping is another enforced sacrifcie. But, over time, these restrictions have loosened. In years gone by, both Good Friday and Easter Sunday saw shops close. But Easter Sunday closing has begun to fray while Good Friday has held out — perhaps because the Friday is a day of mourning while Sunday is a celebration of rebirth.

However, overseas, if stores do close down over the weekend it's usually Easter Sunday rather than Good Friday. 

Almost all chain stores, including supermarkets and bottle-os, will be shut across the country on Friday. That is with the exception of the ACT and Northern Territory. But, in practice, most stores close on Friday.

Generally, smaller stores are allowed to trade on Good Friday but many choose to close anyway.

BUT YOU DEFINITELY CAN'T BOOZE IT UP THOUGH?

Wrong, you absolutely can buy alcohol on Good Friday. You've got to work for your beer though. 

When it comes to on-premise imbibing, restrictions vary — in Queensland and WA you can only drink with a meal but in NSW and Victoria it’s open slather until 10pm.

Takeaway liquor is a big no-no but there is a loophole in NSW. If you live near a microbrewery (don’t we all?), you can takeaway a growler or two.

So, this Easter, if you fancy a cup of the blood of Christ don’t try and turn water into wine, just head to the nearest hotel.